Wednesday, December 31, 2014

It is said that the activities you do on the first day of
the year are the most reflective of who you are. I thought about this while
strolling through the Liuzhangli cemetery on January 1st, 2014.
Earlier that morning I had lunch with my in-laws at one of the city’s pristine
malls. We shared a feast of dumplings and then my partner and I politely
excused ourselves and caught the train to Liuzhangli station.

For the better part of the day I wandered through this
massive cemetery that spreads itself in all directions. It stretches miles into
the horizon, and expands on the vertical, graves plotted like stairs down the
hills. From wherever I stood, there were tombs above me, below me, and to all
sides surrounding me.

I don't know why it took me a year to write about this cemetery, nor do I know why I have to be writing it from a cafe in Vientiane, Laos. But for some reason, the approach of 2015 reminded me of climbing up those concrete steps.

What amazed me so much about this cemetery, as observed on a
golden winter day, was the boldness of color, not just on the tombs, but in
nature. Patterns were everywhere. The way moss grew along the edge of every stone, the roots
of trees woven together like yarns, even the way crispy leaves landed on the ground
was somehow perfect. I saw it all that day.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Al Baik. Saudi Arabia’s fried chicken fast-food chain. Ever
since I saw the Saudi Arabia episode of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations I
have been trying to get to Al Baik.

Getting into Saudi Arabia is nearly impossible as an
American. There are no tourists visas and even if you are lucky enough to get in on a business visa,
there is no guarantee you will be able to get into Al Baik – as a woman. When
my female coworker was sent to Riyadh on business she was forbidden from
entering Al Baik because they didn’t have a “family section,” which is a
segregated section of the restaurant for women and families. As a single woman,
she was not allowed to walk on the streets of Riyadh alone, and most of the
restaurants in Riyadh were men-only, so she couldn’t join her male colleagues
in those establishments either. She ate
every meal in the hotel.

Based on what she told me, I had all but given up on
visiting Al Baik.

Flash forward a few years. I'm walking around the streets of
Kuala Lumpur and what do I find? Al Baik! The chain has gone global and now the
rest of the world, including women, can know the joy of this fried chicken.

The restaurant itself was pretty abysmal. A few Saudi
families quietly dined on their homeland feasts. The bathrooms were appalling.
There were only four items on the menu: 5-piece shrimp meal. 10-piece shrimp
meal. 2-piece chicken meal. 4-piece chicken meal. At least that makes things
easy. Once you order a meal all you need to do is request “original” or
“spicy.” They were out of “original” chicken when we went, so that left
“spicy.” Then you pick your drink. I chose Strawberry Mirinda. I got my meal to
go since the thought of eating there depressed me.

At home, the feast was extraordinary. The chicken itself is
just like KFC or Popeye’s, but the sauces are a local concoction of awesomness.
One garlic sauce, and another is their “cocktail sauce” which is like a
spicy-sweet mayo.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Easy access to free and fast wifi is one of Kuala Lumpur’s
best features. Don’t get me started on its worst features. I actually hated
this city, but these cafes are almost good enough to make up for the things I
disliked. Almost.

VCR

Let’s start with the best first. Here is a place everyone
needs to go: VCR. Occupying an entire house, with indoor and outdoor seating on
both floors, this is one of the most relaxing and atmospheric places in the
city. I would come to this place again and again.

Located on the Japanese-themed floor of a large mall, the
atmosphere is less than ideal, but the drinks and cafes are good.

Solaris Dutemas Mall

Journal by Plan B

A fantastic café/restaurant in the Publika Mall. I can
forgive its location because the classy interior makes me forget I'm in a mall.
I had the best French fries in my life, and the Melaka cupcake, with coconut
frosting, puts all other cupcakes in my life to shame.

Publika Mall

Three Birds Café

Technically walking distance form Sental (not Sentral)
station, though you have to brave a few slums before finding this gem on the
first floor of an interiors design complex. The outdoor seating was gorgeous,
but it was humid and sunny, so we stayed indoors. I ordered a salmon croissant
which was paired with green apples. Salmon and green apples – they actually go
well together! I will miss this little place.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Whenever I visit a new place I always make sure to check out
the magazine section of a local bookstore. This is part of the cultural
research I undertake. What are people reading? What is the standard of beauty
here?

In most countries, I am disappointed to find Vogue, Elle, Cosmo, and the same magazines from America, wrapped in import packaging and projecting American beauty standards onto foreign audiences. However, when countries do produce their own magazines, I’ve made some interesting observations around the world. For
example, while American women’s fashion magazines tend to emphasize celebrities, Japanese fashion magazines emphasize models and candid street style. They also have more information of travel and shopping. In
Korea the 1/3 of the content in fashion magazines is related to beauty
products and skincare.

In Malaysia I had a different treat: Hijab. I nearly
squealed in the bookstore when I found a copy of the coveted Hijabista (Hijab + Fashionista = Hijabista).
This magazine makes me so happy. I am happy to see women reclaiming hijab as a fashion statement. Happy to see forms of beauty that are more about concealing than revealing. Happy to see the focus on women’s style, not women’s
bodies. Happy to see a magazine that is reflective of its readers (based on my observation, in big cities like Kuala Lumpur, around 50% of the women wear hijab, and in rural areas it's more like 90%).